Page-index



(No Model.)

= J. A. 000K.

PAGE INDEX. No. 400,059. Patented Mar. 26, 1889 Witnesses Inventor torney.

N, FEYERS. Pholo-Limu n her, Washington. n0.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. COOK, OF BUFFALO, NEIV YORK.

PAGE-INDEX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,059, dated March 26, 1889.

Application filed September 5, 1887. Serial No. 248,848. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. COOK, of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements on a Page-Index; and I do hereby declare that the following description of my said invention, taken in connection with the accompanying sheet of drawings, forms a full, clear, and exact specification, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention has general reference to page-indexes for books of all kinds, especially for ledgers and other books used in book-keeping, works of reference, &c., where frequent reference to pages is made; and it consists, essentially, in the peculiar arrangement, as hereinafter first fully set forth and described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings heretofore mentioned, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a book provided with my page-index. Figs. 2 and 3 are plan views of the same.

Like parts are designated by corresponding letters of reference in all the figures.

The object of my present invention is the production of a page-index for books, whereby all the page-numbers of a book, pamphlet, &c., maybe seen at a glance, and the page desired to be opened immediately and unerringly found. To accomplish this object I arrange all the page-numbers of a book, A, on the side of the same, substantially as now an ordinary alphabetical index is arranged, except that in books having a large number of pages, which do not allow of having them all placed in one row, I arrange them in a series of rows, sub stantially as shown in the figures, the rows to be either on one side (or edge) or on both sidesof the book. I prefer, however, to construct the same by arranging the index on both edges of the book, as shown in Fig. 1, where the index B is in full view when the book is opened in the middle. In this casel arrange all the even numbers on the edge of the first or left half of the book and all the odd numbers on the right half of the same. In this position the numbers will be on the proper side of the pages. 4

In indcxingI begin with the lowestnumber on the lowest part of the first row and arrange as many rows as are necessary to place all the even numbers of one-half of the book onto the left-hand side, so that the highest even number is 011 the top of the index of that side. I then index the opposite side of the book in the reverse way, beginning with the first odd number in the middle of the book on the top of the first righthand page and ending with the highest odd number on the bottom of the index 011 the right-hand side,

so that if I wish to open any page the number of which is less than one-half of all the pages I use the left-hand index, while if said page-number is greater than the middle number I use the righthand index.

It is true the index on both sides of the book registers the first half of all the even and the second half of all the odd numbers only. This, however, is no objection, because if any odd number in the first half of the book is desired to be opened it is only necessary to open the even number next and immediately preceding the odd number required. For instance, assuming page 15 is required to be opened, by placing the finger or thumb onto the figure 14 and opening the book, page 15 will also be found opened, while, if, say, page 56 is required, the thumb of the right hand should be placed upon the immediately preceding higher odd number 57, and'the book opened, when said page 56 will be opened and found on the left side. It will now be readily seen that by means of this index containing all the page-numbers of a book any page can be immediately found and opened without the slightest mistake and without turning a single page but exactly the one required.

In posting ledger accounts this index is one of the most labor-saving devices now-in use, and since this indexing addsbut a very trifle to the cost of production of a book it will find ready sale with the trade.

It will be readily observed that a book needs no other paging but that of the index, which would be sufficient for all practical purposes, because the index page-number is placed exactly on the page to which it corresponds; but this index does not preclude anyone from also paging a book in addition with the usual page-numbers plaeed in the upper eorners or elsewhere of each page.

in large books containing, say, one thousand pages and over, where it might be inconenient to arrange all the page-numbers, as deseribed, theeoi'istruetion mightbe modified by indexing serial. numbers only-tl1us, 5, l0, l5, it), &e., as illustrated at 13, Fig. E3-(n:lj1yindexinn in serial numbers of four pages onlythus, 1", 6,12, 14;, tite.sueh a series,fl,n 'inniugwith 12 and ending-with1-H,beingindieated at it, Fig.5. 3, the latter method being the more rel.'eral Jl.e one for various obvious reasons; or I may arrz'tngre the book to be [)iig'OdHdOXQtl into sections and index each seetion. separately. For inst anee, supposing a book to contain one thousand pages, l arrange the first seetion so as to embraeo the even numbers to 2% and theodd numbers.i'rom 2511 1014.10, and the seeoinl section lo commence with 500 on the even series and end with non on the odd side olf said inden.

By using several seetions in one book I am enabled to page-irnlex the largest book now in praotiez'il use instead oi iinlexine' the numbers so that the odd and even numbers are yisibleonly, as heretofore dieieribed, I may arrz'tnge the tabs of the index so as to contain an odd and even number upon each, as shown at l), llig's. 1 and 2, thereby prtnlueine' the eorreot numeration of all ilie numerals in the index. This may facilitate the finding; ol the odd pages in the first halt'oi the boot: which has only even numbers, and the even pages on the seeond hail, though for allv praetical PUIDUSDS l eonsider the erarstruetion heretofore explained as ample and sullieient.

To readily open ihe book in the middle, to

expose the index. or paging, I use a book-mark preferably permanently affixed to the said book, though not necessarily so.

.1 laying thus fully d esoribed my invention, l elaim as new and desire to secure to me by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. A book having a page-index. and pagenumber combined, substantially as desoribed, the page-nun'ibers oi the even series being plaeed on one side and those oi the odd series on the opposite side oi the book, said inunihers ruin'iinealong the edges of the leaves from top to l )otto1n in multiples of rows, the boolc. being provided with. a mark dividing the even and odd series, as and for the object stated.

2. pagedndex for books to locate the pages, consist in g, essentially, of two divisions, one having a series of even numbers placed upon the left-hand side and the other having" the series of odd numbers on the right-hand side, each, page-number being placed upon a spot in its respeetive division. other than the top corner of the page and the rest of said page in the index (rut away below said num bers, whereby all the n nmbors in the divisions are exposed io \lOW simultaneously when the book is opened in the middle between the two divisions, said book being provided with a marker indicating the place where the two divisions separate, as and for the purpose stated.

In testinmny that I claim the foregoing as my lllYOlltlOli l have hereto set my hand in the presenee of two subseribing witnesses.

Attest: 

